DESPITE TALK OF DIVERSITY, WOMEN STILL A MINORITY IN INDIAN BOARDROOMS: HOW CAN WE CHANGE THE STRUCTURE?

The call for gender diversity in Indian board rooms has gained momentum over the past few decades.

- MANJARI DAS

To fuel this change, India introduced the Company Act in 2013, which acknowledges the importance of gender neutrality in boardrooms and mandates the appointment of at least one female director in the different classes of companies. However, including women in boardrooms is more than just a matter of numbers. Instead, it concerns what companies and societies need to acquire the diverse perspectives women can bring. 

Following a report titled ‘Women on Boards’ published by the International Labour Organization, increasing women’s participation in the business sector would increase the world GDP by $5.8 trillion by 2025. The report further discusses the advantages of having women on board. Because women make most consumer decisions in households, they develop a deeper understanding of customer behavior and needs. Consequently, they are most likely to bring this knowledge to the commercial board, improving the standard of commercial decisions and transforming them to be in touch with customer requirements.

How Gender Diversity Can Be Achieved in Boardrooms?